Convertible table with pivotally supported table top elements



Nov. 17, 1959 A. G. LOMAS 2,9

CONVERTIBLE TABLE WITH PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED TABLE TOP ELEMENTS Filed Dec.

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INVENTbR ALBERT G. LOMAS' d fi ATTORNEY I bookcase, dining table, plant stand and the like.

United States Patent-O CONVERTIBLE TABLE WITH PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED TABLE TOP ELEMENTS Albert G. Lomas, Yonkers, NY. Application December 17, 1953, Serial No. 398,769

1 Claim. (Cl. 2113) This invention relates to the art of furniture and particularly concerns'a'novel convertible table structure.

The need has generally existed for a decorative table which is convertible and adaptable to a variety of uses, which need has never heretofore been adequately fulfilled. The present invention concerns an adjustable or convertible table which can be used alternatively as a tea-wagon, cocktail table, mobile bar, typewriter table, The table can easily and simply be converted to constitute any of the foregoing structures, and to many others as the need arises. The invention finds ready use as a versatile article of furniture in the home and elsewhere. be used in hotels as a convenient room-service table or handy decorative table. It can also be used in institutions such ase hospitals as a bed-service table or as a table of general utility. Other and further uses of the invention will readily suggest themselves. a

it is a principal object of'the invention toprovide a table having an adjustable plural section top.

It is a further object to provide a table having plural sections respectively positionable at various levels with respect to each other.

'It is a further object to provide an article of furniture readily adaptable and'convertible to a variety of configurations to perform different functions as desired.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken together with the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom. plan view showing principal mechanical features of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an end view of a. portion of the structure constituting the invention.

Fig. 3A is an end view of a portion, of a modification of the invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 are shown a pair of flat substantially rectangular table leaves 10, 11. Leaf 11 is reinforced with side frame members 2, 2', 3, 5. Leaf is reinforced with frame members 7,7, 9, 9'. Side and corner reinforcements 4, 4 serve to strengthen the table lead structure. The leaves 10, 11 are supported at opposite ends of the side braces 12, 13, 14 and 15. The braces are pivotally attached to the side frame members 16, 17. Table legs 18, 19, 20 and 21 are attached to the frame members 16, 17 by dowels 42, 43, 44, 45 or the like. The legs are joined by the leg braces 22, 23. Suitable casters 24 are provided at the bottoms of the table legs to make the entire table freely movable. The table leaves 10, 11' are arranged to be movable to several predetermined fixed positions with respect to each other as desired. The leaves may vary in position from the wholly horizontal side-by-side place shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to the vertically stacked position shown in Fig. 3 with leaf 10 disposed directly above leaf 11. An intermediate position of the table leaves is shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. 7

It can 2,913,122 Patented Nov. 17, 1959 fixed predetermined positions is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.v The table leaves 10, 11 pivot on pins 46, 47, 48 and 49 with'res'pect to the side braces 14, 15. Corresponding pivot pins 46,47, 48" and "49 are provided on braces 12, .13. The braces 12-15 pivot in turn on pins 38, 39, 40, '41 inthe side'frame members 16, 17. In order to hold the table leaves in predetermined fixed positions, a pair of locking plates 50, 50' are provided. One such plate is shown clearly in Fig. 3. This plate 50 is securely attached by riveting, welding or the like to brace 15. The other plate 50' is attached to brace 12 as shown in Fig. 1. Instead of forming each locking plate as a member separate from the associated brace it is possible to form the locking plate and associated brace as a single integrally formed member by a stamping or similar operation. E'achlocking' plate has the form of a segment of a circle of somewhat less than90 angular degrees. Each locking plate has a plurality of holes 51 circumferentially disposed, and substantially equally spaced. It is intended that the ends of rods 36, 37 enter these holes 51 to hold the table leavesin intermediate'positions between the vertically stacked position and the horizontal side-by-side position. In the vertically stacked position shown in Fig. 3, the bottom sides of plates 50, 50' bear on the ends of rods 37, 36, respectively, while the braces 15, 13, respectively, contact the stationary stop pins 58, 58' projecting from the ends of leaf 11. When the leaves 10, 11 are in. the horizontal side-by-side position shown in Figs. l,.2 the projecting ends of rods 37, 36, respectively, bear onthe upper. sides of plates 58, 50'. To assist in holding the leaves. in this position recesses 59 are provided in braces 12,14 into which fit the retractable stop pins 60', 6.0"m0unted v in the frame sides 17, 16, respectively. Instead of relying on'theiuse of stop pins to assist in holding the leaves in the vertically stacked and horizontal positions, the locking plates 50, 50' may be formed as circularsegments 50" exceeding ninety angular degrees with the midpoints of the outermost holes 51 spaced ninety degrees 'ap'art as'shown in Fig. 3A. As a further alterhative, plates 50, 50' may be disposed in a staggered relationship at the sides of leaf 11 so that in the vertically stacked position and in the horizontal side-by-side position of the table leaves either rod 36 or rod 37 enters a hole 51 in either locking plate or locking plate 50'.

A novel structure shown in Fig. 2 is provided for actuating the rods 36, 37 in moving the table leaves to any desired position. Abutting the frame members 3, 5 and disposed. betweenthem are two transversely extending guide members 27, 28. In the space between the guide members slides a plate or handle 61 retained by further plates 25, 26 attached to the guide members 27, 28. An elongatedlarm 29 is attached to plate 61. Arm 29 has a smoothly curved narrowed section B. The outer end of arm 29 has a section D reversely curved with respect to section B andat'its maximum width substantially equal in. width to that of arm 29. A pair of screws or posts 6,16 hold opposite ends of a spring 8. Post 6' is fastened to frame member 3 Post 6 is fastened to arm 29. When plate, 61 is pulled'out beyond the edge of frame member 5' asshown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, spring 8 is extended under tension. I attached to guide. members 27, 28. Arms 39, 31 have curved'recesses C' and'i'ounded ends 32, 33. The ends of rods 36, 37 are pivotally attached to the rounded ends 32, 33 of arms 30, 31. Washers 54, 55 and 56, 57 are mounted on the rods 36, 37. Springs 34, 35 are disposed on rods 36, 37 between the washers. Brackets 52, 53 are mounted on frame member 3. Rods 36, 37 slide through the brackets which also serve to retain the outer ends of springs 34, 35 and the washers 54, 57.

In operation, the plate 61 is manually extended under A pair of" arms 30, 31 are pivotally 3 spring tension drawing arm 29 up to the dotted line position shown in Fig .2. Arms 30, 31 pivot inwardly urged by springs 34, 35 with the recesses C engaging section D of arm 29 and causing retraction I of rods 36, 37 from locking plates 50, 50'. When locking plates 50, 50' are disengaged, leaves 10, 11 are movable to any desired position predetermined by the location of holes 51 in the locking plates and by the angular extent of the locking plates. When the table leaves are disposed in a desired position, plate 61 is released and is drawn inwardly under the tension of spring 8. The curved section D of arm 29 then enters between arms 30, 31 at the rounded ends 32,33, and separates the arms which in turn thrust the rods 36, 37 outwardly to engage the locking plates 50, 50'. The table leaves are thus automatically locked in position. The number of possible intermediate table leaf positions isfdetermined by the number of holes in the locking plates 50, 50, since no holes 51 will usually be engaged With the table leaves in the horizontal side-by-side position and the vertically stacked position. Of course as pointed out abovethe locking plates can be so shaped and disposed that rods 36, 37 will engage holes in the locking plates in all positions of the table leaves. r

For the structure shown in the drawing, six possible configurations of the table are possible. The locking plates may be arranged to provide a lesser or greater number of positions as desired. The table structure herein described is adapted to a variety of use by reason of the several positions in which the table leaves can be disposed with respect to each other. For example, when the table leaves are disposed in side-by-side horizontal position, the table serves as an efiicient serving table since it is equipped with casters and is readily movable. When the table leaves are disposed in vertically stacked position, the arrangement is ideally adapted to serve as a book rack or the like. In intermediate positions of the table leaves such as shown in 'Fig. 3 indotted lines, the arrangement is adapted toserve as a flower stand, merchandise display stand and the like. An almost unlimited number of purposes can thus be served by the table structure constituting the present invention because of the great variety of configurations which it can assume.

Although only two modifications of the invention have been herein disclosed, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto since it is desired that patent protection be extended to the invention including all reasonable changes. equivalents and modifications thereof coming within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a convertible table having a pair of spaced vertical frames of inverted U-shape,the legs of said frames constituting the legs of the table, a pair of horizontally spaced pivot members secured to the yoke of one of said frames, at registering pair of pivot members secured to the yoke of the other of said frames, a pair of bars pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on the pivot members of the first mentioned frame, a second pair of bars pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on the pivot members of the second mentioned frame, all of said bars being of identical length, pivot members secured to the ends of all of said bars, a table top pivotally secured to the upper ends of all of said bars by means of the pivot members at said upper ends, and a second table top pivotally secured to the lower ends of all of said bars by means of the pivot members at said lower ends, said bars being all disposed in parallel relation to each other 4 irrespective of their angular positions about the axes of the first mentioned pivot members on the yokes of the two frames: the combination comprising a sector-shaped locking plate adapted to be secured to the lower end of one of the bars on one of said frames, a registering sector-shaped locking plate adapted to be secured to the lower end of the corresponding bar on the other frame,

a plurality of holes formed in an arcuate line on the first mentioned plate equidistant from the pivotal axis oi the pivot member at the lower end of the bar to which said first mentioned plate is secured, registering holes formed in the other of said plates, a plurality of bearings adapted to be secured to one of said table tops underneath the same, a pair of locking rods slidably mounted in said bearings, said bearings being arranged to support said locking rods in coaxial relationship and in perpendicular relation to said plates, said rods being slidably movable in outward direction into engagement with selected holes in said plates to lock the'table tops and said barsin selected angular positions relative to each other, a pair of springs connected to the locking rods urging them inwardly toward each other and out of engagement with the holes in said plates, a pair of arms pivotally secured at one end to the inner ends of said locking rods, the opposite ends of said arms being adapted to be pivotally secured to the same table top which sup- .ports said locking rods, a pair of recesses formed in said arms on the facing sides thereof, a cam-shaped actuating member adapted to be slidably mounted on said last mentioned table top between the two arms, a handle connected to said cam-shaped actuating member, a spring connected to said cam member and urging it into engagement with those ends of the arms which are pivotally connected to the locking rods, said cam-shaped actuating member having an enlarged head portion which is engageable with said last mentioned ends of thearms to spread them apart and thereby to move the locking rods outwardly into engagement with selected holes in the two plates, said cam-shaped actuating member being slidably movable by means of said handle to move its said head portion out of engagement with said last mentioned ends of'the arms and into the recesses formed in said arms, thereby enabling the two arms to swing inwardly toward each other and the locking rods to move toward each other and out of engagement with the holes in said plates under the influenceof the springs on said locking rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,022 Gower Jan. 2, 1894 647,553 Boeckh Apr. 17, 1900 1,209,679 Decker Dec. 26, 1916 1,222,805 Schmid Apr. 17, 1917 1,459,319 Bloss June 19, 1923 1,671,249 Lieberman May 29, 1928 1,733,029 Plant Oct. 22, 1929 2,110,466 Louis Mar. 8, 1938 2,146,413 Aron Feb. 7, 1939 2,406,436 Peter Aug. 27, 1946 2,547,992 Baker Apr. 10, 1951 2,582,791 Page Jan. 15, 1952 2,649,206 Arnold Aug. 18, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1898 

